Panucci has had the pleasure of playing for many of Europe's leading clubs - AC Milan, Inter, Real Madrid and Roma to name a few.

His moving has had as much to do with his itchy feet as his desire to follow Fabio Capello, who was his coach at Milan and Real Madrid between 1993 and 1999 and is his current club boss.

Following a series of loan spells, he has finally rediscovered his form in the Italian capital and may even stay put there after the World Cup.

It's not clear what his position is in the pecking order, having not played a part at all in Italy's qualifying campaign.